There have always been countless myths about the element of water. However, when it comes to drinking water and fluid intake for the body, it is worth taking a closer look, as many of the very old wisdoms and myths of recent decades are only partially correct or even simply wrong from today’s scientific perspective. However, the following myths and wisdoms about water are spread time and time again, which are to be clarified here.

Myth or fact?

1) Stay away from drinking while eating

This recommendation has been around for over a century and can even be found in old school textbooks. Scientists at the time assumed that drinking water, tea, juice and other things would dilute and neutralize stomach acid. They thought that this could be a cause of illness, for example infections. However, this view has been refuted for several decades. Nobody has to fear a dilution of stomach acid. The combination of eating and drinking even makes sense. The liquid helps to dilute the relatively concentrated food components so that they cannot cause any damage to the intestinal mucosa. Drinking water or other drinks also help to cover fluid requirements. But there are other wisdoms and myths about water when eating.

2) Cherries and drinking water do not go together

Even our great-grandmother said that after eating fresh cherries, the glass of water should be left to avoid stomach ache. Countless children have been taught this wisdom for generations. Fermentation processes are often responsible for stomach problems. Some cherry skins contain yeast, which can lead to flatulence. But we now know that stomach acid can quickly render yeast fungi harmless. Stone fruit and drinking water are therefore a perfect match.

3) Arteriosclerosis and kidney stones are caused by increased water hardness

There are different degrees of hardness for drinking water. Hard water has a high lime content. Calcium    Chemisches Element Ca mit der Ordnungszahl 20, Mineralstoff, der zu den Mengenelementen zählt. Unter den Mineralstoffen ha... and magnesium ions are particularly abundant here. The theories that this causes kidney stones or arteriosclerosis date back to the second half of the last century. There are now new research findings that the health of the arteries and kidneys cannot be influenced by water hardness.

4) Never boil drinking water twice

This advice is not too old and even makes sense to some extent. From a chemical point of view, nothing bad happens as a result of boiling. During boiling, dissolved gases, carbon dioxide and oxygen escape. If the drinking water is very calcareous, you may see slight traces of limescale at the bottom of the pot or kettle. These processes already take place during the first boil and are repeated during the second boil. In pots and kettles on the hob, the frequency of boiling water is almost irrelevant. There are no disadvantages in terms of taste or health.

However, if you use a stainless steel kettle and are allergic to nickel, you should be careful. Leaving the boiling water in the appliance for a long time can release traces of nickel into the drinking water. Leaving the boiling water in the plastic kettle is more dangerous. Unfortunately, the majority of manufacturers use plastics containing bisphenol A    BPA, genauer „4,4'-(1-methylethylidene)bis(phenol)“, ist im Handel als weißes Pulver mit einem Schmelzpunkt von 158°C.... These can dissolve from the plastic and have a negative effect on the human hormone balance in drinking water. So this water myth is all about the cooking vessel.

5) Oxygen water is the best choice

Manufacturers of oxygen-enriched water promise that their products are true power elixirs. The myth that oxygen-enriched water is better has persisted over the last two decades, especially among athletes. However, scientists believe that “drinking oxygen” has no real benefits for physical vitality and health. If you look at the anatomy and physiology of the lungs, it quickly becomes clear that they have excess capacity. It thus constantly supplies the human body with the oxygen it needs.

Oxygen supply via drinks and thus via the intestines therefore seems nonsensical. High-performance sport is not about the sufficient supply of oxygen, which can be limited in the body. It is a purely organically limited ability to transport oxygen to the individual cells in the muscle via the red blood cells. In this case, more oxygen via fluid intake would therefore not bring any benefits for physical performance. Oxygen water is therefore more of an advantage for manufacturers’ wallets than for buyers.